Apparatus and method of making an underwater connection between a structural member and a supporting pile

ABSTRACT

This invention provides an apparatus and method for making underwater connections between structural members and a plurality of supporting piles. The piles are driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation. A spacer is mounted on the top of any pile that is below design elevation to distribute the load of a structural member among the piles and to support the member at design elevation. Hollow form members having openings are mounted on the underside of the structural member so that the piles will extend into the openings when the structural member is lowered onto the piles. The openings in the form members are sufficiently large to accommodate substantial horizontal displacement of the upper end of the pile thereby allowing the piles to be driven to less stringent tolerance. The space in each opening between each form member and each pile is filled with cement to connect the structural member to the piles.

United States Patent Wald et al.

[451 Dec. 19,1972

1541 APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING AN UNDERWATER CONNECTION BETWEEN'A STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND A SUPPORTING PILE [72] Inventors: Ernst A. Wald, Dallas, Tex.; Joseph [73] Assignee: U.S. Industries, Inc., New York,

[22] Filed: March 4, 19 71 [21] Appl. No.: 120,879

[52] US. Cl. ..61/46, 61/53, 61/54, 61/63, 52/724 [51] Int. Cl ..E02d 5/40, E02d 5/50 [58] Field of Search ..61/46, 54, 50, 51, 52, 63, 61/53; 52/724, 725, 727, 728

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,088 3/1910 Hindes ..61/54 1,025,112 4/1912 Davis ..61/54 1,947,413 2/1934 Hay ..61/54 X 3,505,825 4/1970 Colby ..61/54 2,412,185 12/1946 Weber ..61/54 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,157,164 11/1963 Gennany ..61/46 Primary Examiner.lacob Shapiro Att0rneyHyer, Eickenroht, Thompson & Turner [57] ABSTRACT This invention provides an apparatus and method for making underwater connections between structural members and a plurality of supporting piles. The piles are driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation. A spacer is mounted on the top of any pile that is below design elevation to distribute the load of a structural member among the piles and to support the member at design elevation. Hollow form members having openings are mounted on the underside of the structural member so that the piles will extend into the openings when the structural member is lowered onto the piles. The openings in the form members are sufficiently large to accommodate substantial'horizontal displacement of the upper end of the pile thereby allowing the piles to be driven to less stringent tolerance. The space in each opening between each form member and each pile is filled with cement to connect the structural member to the piles.

12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED nu: 19 m2 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTORS. E RNS T A WA L 0 JOSEPH J. DODSON, JR.

A T 70 ENE r5 P ATE NTED I97? 3. 706. 205

sum 2 or 2 ERNST A.WALD

J05 E PH J. DODSONJR INVENTOR.

A TTOR/VEYS APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING AN UNDERWATER CONNECTION BETWEEN A STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND A SUPPORTING PILE This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making an underwater connection between a structural member and a driven pile.

When building a structure underwater that is supported by piles driven into the bottom, such as an underwater missile launching platform, the piles must first be driven after which the structure they support is placed on the piles. Usually, it is desirable, if not necessary, for the piles to be connected to the structure they support. Since the piles when driven are under water, such a connection must be made under water. Generally, piles can be driven with their tops within about 2 inches of design elevation and about 4 inches of design horizontal position. Even such small variations as these can cause difficulties when attempting to mount structural members under-water at design elevation and with all the piles assuming some of the load.

One method of insuring that all piles are at design elevation is to stop driving the piles while their tops are still above design elevation and then cut off the piles to design elevation with an underwater torch. This is an expensive and laborious procedure.

Once the tops of the piles are at design elevation, there remains the problem of horizontal displacement of the tops from the design position. The structural members may be connected to the piles by the bolting of a plate mounted on the top of the pile to the structural member. This technique also requires significant underwater labor because the bolt holes must be drilled in the structural member and the plate mounted on the top of the pile after the structural member is lowered onto the piles. The bolt holes cannot be drilled in the pile plate before the structural members are lowered into the water because of the variations in horizontal position of the tops of the piles. Another expensive method of connecting the piles to the platform is to weld the plates attached to the piles and the structural member together after the members are lowered into place. I

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for making an underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of driven piles in a simple and inexpensive manner.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for connecting a structural member under water to a plurality of piles so the weight of the structural member is distributed among all the piles connected to a structural member and the structural member is at design elevation.

It is another object of the invention to connect a structural member to a plurality of piles the tops of which are under water by attaching a plurality of form members to the underside of the structural member so that the piles will extend into openings in the form members when the structural member is lowered onto the piles and filling the space in the opening between each pile and each form member with cement.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification including the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two underwater structural members connected to a group of piles in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the apparatus and method of this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the cementing operation by which the structural members of FIG. 1 are connected to the piles:

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

In FIG. 1, structural members 10a and 10b are located under water and supported by. a plurality of piles 11 that have been driven into floor or bottom 12 of a body of water. The structural members maysupport any type of platform or equipment (not shown). The piles may be concrete or steel and may have various configurations, the material and shape being determined by the weight to be supported. Files 11 are H- beams. Each pile has atop plate 13 welded to it to protect the top of the pile from damage as it is driveninto bottom 12 of the body of water.

In accordance with this invention, each pile is driven to or below its design elevation. Since it is difficult to drive the piles to. design elevation, preferably, each pile is driven below design elevation. It is possible that some will end up at design elevation. This is fine, but the idea is to make sure that there are none above design elevation, and for this reason, the pile driver should try to drive all piles below their design elevation. After the piles are driven, spacer means having a thickness approximately equal to the difference between the design pile elevation and actual pile elevation are provided for placing between the top of each pile driven below design elevation and the structural member to engage the structural member and support it at design elevation. In the embodiment shown, such spacer means includes spacer 14 and shims 14a having a total thickness equal to the difference between design elevation for pile 11a and its actual elevation. Shims 14a are used where the spacer it is not quite long enough. By using spacers, such as spacer 14, a pile need not be pulled and redriven, even though the pile is driven well below design elevation.

The apparatus of this invention further includes a plurality of form members having openings therein to receive the upper ends of the piles, each member being adapted for attaching to a structural member to receive the upper end of a pile in its opening. Further, in accordance with this invention, each opening has a minimum dimension substantially larger than the maximum dimension of the pile it is to receive to allow the pile to enter the opening even though its upper end is displaced horizontally from its design horizontal position a substantial distance. This allows the piles to be driven within easily obtainable tolerances and still be in position to enter the opening in the form member when the structural member is placed on the piles.

In the embodiment shown, form members and 15b are attached to the underside of structural member 10a, and form members 15c and 15d are attached to the underside of structural member 10b. Each form member is of the same construction so only one will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 3, form member 15a includes open-ended pipe section 17. One end is welded to base plate 18 that is adapted to be attached to the bottom of structural member a.

As shown in FIG. 3, structural member 10a is made of concrete. Mounting plate 13 is placed in the bottom of the form to be connected to the structural member by hangers 13a which are embedded in the concrete. Mounting bolts 13b are also positioned in holes drilled in the plate before the concrete is poured to provide means to connect base plate 18 of the form member to the structural member as shown in FIG. 3. The openended, hollow pipe section provides opening 19 into which the upper end of pile 1 1a extends. Opening 19 of the pipe section has a diameter substantially greater than the maximum dimension of the pile so that the top of the pile does not have to be driven to an exact position but can be displaced horizontally a substantial distance and still be in position to extend into opening 19 of the form member. As explained above, this gives the pile driv'er operator a tolerance he can usually meet, which in turn reduces substantially the number of piles that must be pulled and redriven, which is a timeconsuming and costly operation. It has been found that an inner pipe section diameter approximately 12 inches wider than the maximum width dimension of the driven pile is generally satisfactory.

To complete the connection between the pile and the structural member in accordance with this invention, the opening in the form member is filled with cement. First, however, the opening is closed to hold the cement in place. Means are provided to do this, and in the embodiment shown (FIGS. 3 and 4), the closing means is closure member 20, which is a flat disc-shaped plate that is split into two halves 20a and 20b. The mating surfaces of each half are cut out as required to closely fit around the pile when the two halves are brought together. As shown in FIG. 4, the mating surfaces of halves 20a and 20b are cut to fit the I-I-configuration of pile 11a. The outside diameter of member 20 is larger than the inner diameter of pipe section 17 so it can engage the lower end of the form and close the opening as shown in FIG. 3. Chains 21 and 22 have one end connected to L-shaped brackets 21a and 22 a, respectively, that are in turn connected to the structural member by bolts 13b. The other end of the chains are connected to closure member 20. The length of the chains can be varied by load binders 23 and 24. To install the closure member, the two halves are brought together around pile 1 1a below pipe section 15. The two halves are connected together in any convenient way, as by latches 36. Preferably, such latches are also provided in the bottom side. Chains 21 and 22 are connected to the closure member and the load binders operated to raise the closure member along the pile into engagement with the bottom of the pipe section.

The connection is now ready to be cemented. A pumpable slurry or grout is used. Pipe nipple 25 is welded to an opening adjacent the lower end of pipe section 17 to provide an inlet for the grout or slurry. Pipe nipple 26 adjacent the upper end of the pipe section provides an outlet. Flexible hose 27 connects grout pump 31 at the surface to inlet nipple 25. The hose is connected to the nipple, preferably, by a quick disconnect type coupling that includes a check valve that will venient for the divers. Valve 28 closes hose 27 when the hose is being moved to another pile connection.

During the grouting operation, grout is pumped through hose 27 into opening 19 to fill the water-filled space between each form member and the pile that extends into its opening. Water is displaced from opening 19 out through nipple 26 as the grout enters through nipple 25 because the grout has a higher specific gravity than the water. The pumping of grout is continued until the grout coming out has the same consistency as the grout being pumped into opening 19. The consistency of the grout is inspected by attaching short hose 32 to the outlet. The hose is equipped with spaced valves 34 and 35. By closing the valves and disconnecting and returning grout line 32 to the surface, a sample of the grout coming out can be inspected. If the grout coming out is satisfactory the hoses are disconnected and moved to the next form. I

After the cement has hardened, chain binders 23 and 24 are operated to lengthen chains 21 and 22 and lower the closure member away from pipe section 17. The two halves thereof can be unlatched and removed from the piles along with the chains and load binders for use again.

To practice the method of this invention then, with reference to'the drawings, piles 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d are driven into the bottom of a body of water until their tops are at or below the design elevation for the piles. Spacers 14 are placed on the top of those piles below design elevation to bring the top of the pile to design elevation. Form members 15a and 15b are attached to the underside of structural member 10a, and form members and 15d are attached to the underside of structural member 10b. The structural members are lowered into position on their supporting piles with each pile extending into an opening of a form member. The openings are closed and then filled with cement to complete the underwater connection of each structural member to its supporting piles.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages that are obvious and that are inherent to the apparatus and method.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. An underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of piles that have been driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation, comprising a plurality of form members having openings therein to receive the upper ends of the piles, each member being attached to the structural member in position for each form member to receive the upper end of a pile in its opening, each opening having a minimum dimension substantially larger than the pile it receives to allow the upper end of the pile to be displaced horizontally from its design position a substantial distance to thereby allow the piles to be driven to reasonably easily attainable tolerances, spacer means having a thickness approximately equal to the difference between the design pile elevation and actual pile elevation located in the opening in the form between the top of each pile driven below design elevation and the structural member to engage the structural member and support it at design elevation, and means located between each pile and the form member extending over the pile to close the opening adjacent its lower end so that the opening can be filled with cement to connect the structural member to each pile.

2. The underwater connection of claim 1 wherein each form member comprises an open-ended pipe section having one end attached to the structural member with an open end extending downwardly to provide the opening into which the pile extends.

3. The connection of claim 1 in which the means closing the opening includes a closure member-having an inner configuration fitting the configuration of a pile and an outer configuration with a minimum dimension larger than the diameter of the opening so the closure 7 member engages the lower end of the form member, and means holding the closure member in engagement with the lower end of the form member to close the opening.

4. The connection of claim 3 in which the closure member is a generally flat plate having an opening therein shaped to receive a pile and which is split along a line that intersects the opening to allow the plate to be fitted around a pile and to be removed therefrom after the cement placed in the opening in the form member has set.

5. The connection of claim 3 in which the means holding the closure member in engagement with the lower end of the form member includes a plurality of flexible lines connected between the closure member and one of the structural members andthe form members and means for shortening the flexible lines between the closure member and the other member to which it is connected until the closure member is in engagement with the form member closing the lower end of the opening therein.

6. An underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of piles comprising a plurality of form members having openings therein to receive the upper ends of the piles, each member being attached to the structural member in position to receive the upper end of a pile in its opening, each opening having a minimum dimension substantially larger than the pile it receives to allow the upper end of the pile to be displaced horizontally from its design position a substantial distance to thereby allow the piles to be driven to reasonably easily attainable tolerances, spacer means located in the opening in the form members and positioned between the top of each pile driven below design elevation and the structural member to engage the structural member and support it at design elevation, and means positioned between each pile and the form member extending over the pile to close the opening adjacent its lower end so that the opening can be filled with cement material to connect the structural member to each pile by connecting the form members to the spacer means and the pile located therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the form members are tubular members that are attached to the structural member with their open ends facing downwardly with the ends of the piles extending through the open ends into the tubular members.

8. A method for making an underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of supporting piles that have been driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation, comprising the steps of placing a spacer on any pile driven below design elevation to effectively extend that pile to design elevationso that the structural member supported thereby will be at design elevation and the weight of the structural member will be distributed among the piles, attaching a plurality of form members to the underside of the structural member in position so that each form member will extend downwardly over a driven pile with each form member having an opening to receive such pile that is sufficiently large to allow the pile to enter the opening even though its upper end is displaced horizontally from the design horizontal position a substantial distance thereby allowing the piles to be driven within easily obtainable tolerances, lowering the structural member and the attached form members onto the piles with each pile extending into an opening in a form member, closing the opening between each form member and each pile below the top of the pile therein, placing cement in the openings of the form members and around the piles to connect the structural member to the piles.

9. A method as set out in claim 8 wherein the opening in each form member between a pile and the form member is closed by the steps of placing two closure members on opposite sides of the pile to-encircle the pile below the form member and raising the two closure members upwardly to engage the form member and close the lower end of the opening between the form member and the pile.

10. A method as set out in claim 9 having the further step of removing the two closure members from the pile after the cement in the opening has set.

11. A method as set out in claim 8 wherein the placing of cement in each opening of a form member includes the steps of pumping into the opening just above the closure member a cement slurry having a specific gravity greater than the water in the opening, discharging the water that is displaced from the opening through an opening adjacent the top of the opening, and stopping the pumping of slurry when the opening is filled to the desired level with the cement slurry.

12. A method for installing under water.a pile supported structural member, comprising the steps of driving a plurality of supporting piles to elevations equal to or below design elevation, placing a spacer on any pile driven below design elevation to effectively extend that pile to design elevation so that the structural member supported thereby will be at design elevation and the weight of the structural member will be distributed among the piles, attaching a plurality of form members to the underside of the structural member in position so that each form member will extend downwardly over a driven pile with each form member having an opening to receive such pile that is sufficiently large to allow the pile to enter the opening even though its upper end is displaced horizontally from the design horizontal position a substantial distance thereby allowing the piles to be driven within easily obtainable tolerances, lowering the structural member and the attached form members onto the piles with each pile extending into an opening in a form member, closing the opening between each form member and each pile below the top of the pile therein, placing cement in the openings of the form members and around the piles to connect the structural member to the piles. 

1. An underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of piles that have been driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation, comprising a plurality of form members having openings therein to receive the upper ends of the piles, each member being attached to the structural member in position for each form member to receive the upper end of a pile in its opening, each opening having a minimum dimension substantially larger than the pile it receives to allow the upper end of the pile to be displaced horizontally from its design position a substantial distance to thereby allow the piles to be driven to reasonably easily attainable tolerances, spacer means having a thickness approximately equal to the difference between the design pile elevation and actual pile elevation located in the opening in the form between the top of each pile driven below design elevation and the structural member to engage the structural member and support it at design elevation, and means located between each pile and the form member extending over the pile to close the opening adjacent its lower end so that the opening can be filled with cement to connect the structural member to each pile.
 2. The underwater connection of claim 1 wherein each form member comprises an open-ended pipe section having one end attached to the structural member with an open end extending downwardly to provide the opening into which the pile extends.
 3. The connection of claim 1 in which the means closing the opening includes a closure member having an inner configuration fitting the configuration of a pile and an outer configuration with a minimum dimension larger than the diameter of the opening so the closure member engages the lower end of the form member, and means holding the closure member in engagement with the lower end of the form member to close the opening.
 4. The connection of claim 3 in which the closure member is a generally flat plate having an opening therein shaped to receive a pile and which is split along a line that intersects the opening to allow the plate to be fitted around a pile and to be removed therefrom after the cement placed in the opening in the form member has set.
 5. The connection of claim 3 in which the means holding the closure member in engagement with the lower end of the form member includes a plurality of flexible lines connected between the closure member and one of the structural members and the form members and means for shortening the flexible lines between the closure member and the other member to which it is connected until the closure member is in engagement with the form member closing the lower end of the opening therein.
 6. An underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of piles comprising a plurality of form members having openings therein to receive the upper ends of the piles, each member being attached to the structural member in position to receive the upper end of a pile in its opening, each opening having a minimum dimension substantially larger than the pile it receives to allow the upper end of the pile to be displaced horizontally from its design position a substantial distance to thereby allow the piles to be driven to reasonably easily attainable tolerances, spacer means located in the opening in the form members and positioned between the top of each pile driven below design elevation and the structural member to engage the structural member and support it at design elevation, and means positioned between each pile and the form member extending over the pile to close the opening adjacent its lower end so that the opening can be filled with cement material to connect the structural member to each pile by connecting the form members to the spacer means and the pile located therein.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the form members are tubular members that are attached to the structural member with their open ends facing downwardly with the ends of the piles extending through the open ends into the tubular members.
 8. A method for making an underwater connection between a structural member and a plurality of supporting piles that have been driven to elevations equal to or below design elevation, comprising the steps of placing a spacer on any pile driven below design elevation to effectively extend that pile to design elevation so that the structural member supported thereby will be at design elevation and the weight of the structural member will be distributed among the piles, attaching a plurality of form members to the underside of the structural member in position so that each form member will extend downwardly over a driven pile with each form member having an opening to receive such pile that is sufficiently large to allow the pile to enter the opening even though its upper end is displaced horizontally from the design horizontal position a substantial distance thereby allowing the piles to be driven within easily obtainable tolerances, lowering the structural member and the attached form members onto the piles with each pile extending into an opening in a form member, closing the opening between each form member and each pile below the top of the pile therein, placing cement in the openings of the form members and around the piles to connect the structural member to the piles.
 9. A method as set out in claim 8 wherein the opening in eAch form member between a pile and the form member is closed by the steps of placing two closure members on opposite sides of the pile to encircle the pile below the form member and raising the two closure members upwardly to engage the form member and close the lower end of the opening between the form member and the pile.
 10. A method as set out in claim 9 having the further step of removing the two closure members from the pile after the cement in the opening has set.
 11. A method as set out in claim 8 wherein the placing of cement in each opening of a form member includes the steps of pumping into the opening just above the closure member a cement slurry having a specific gravity greater than the water in the opening, discharging the water that is displaced from the opening through an opening adjacent the top of the opening, and stopping the pumping of slurry when the opening is filled to the desired level with the cement slurry.
 12. A method for installing under water a pile supported structural member, comprising the steps of driving a plurality of supporting piles to elevations equal to or below design elevation, placing a spacer on any pile driven below design elevation to effectively extend that pile to design elevation so that the structural member supported thereby will be at design elevation and the weight of the structural member will be distributed among the piles, attaching a plurality of form members to the underside of the structural member in position so that each form member will extend downwardly over a driven pile with each form member having an opening to receive such pile that is sufficiently large to allow the pile to enter the opening even though its upper end is displaced horizontally from the design horizontal position a substantial distance thereby allowing the piles to be driven within easily obtainable tolerances, lowering the structural member and the attached form members onto the piles with each pile extending into an opening in a form member, closing the opening between each form member and each pile below the top of the pile therein, placing cement in the openings of the form members and around the piles to connect the structural member to the piles. 